Tag Archives: Children woith diabetes

When I was at dLife, Richard found his way into our forums and chats and once I became a regular in the online community Richard would always ‘pop in’ here and there adding his golden nuggets of incredible information. You see Richard has been living with diabetes for 67 years. That’s right, 67!

This week, while at the Children with DIabetes Friends for Life Conference he had a ‘first timers’ ribbon on. Now being in his seventies, the man still looks to educate himself and be part of the diabetes community; doing something for the first time after having diabetes for 67 years. If that doesn’t humble you, nothing will.

After meeting Richard, I was thinking on the plane ride home from Orlando; what it must have been like living with diabetes when Richard was a young boy.

I know all of the changes that have occurred since Kaitlyn was diagnosed 21 years ago and there have been so many more since Richard was diagnosed during the 1940s. It makes me wonder what in heaven’s name we all did before……..before……..SO MUCH!

Imagine our world without devices like pumps, fast-reading glucometers, small needles, CGMs; Imagine our world without CWD, JDRF, DRI, The Diabetes Advocates, The Diabetes Hands Foundation, and so many other areas; Imagine our world without Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; Imagine our world not connected and not being able to be with each other in the many ways available to us.

Imagine.

We now live in an instantaneous world which readily is available to supply and share information. Our meters are the fastest they have ever been, and there is even discussions of things like the Bionic Pancreas and the BioHub; words that did not even exist 5 years ago, much less sixty-seven.

The world is forever changing and changing at a pace that on one hand does not seem fast enough but in another; faster than anyone could ever imagine.

When people like Richard were testing urine in a test tube 40 years ago, what would they have said when told that someday you will have something that will dispense insulin automatically?

We are now living in the fastest world of ‘now’ becoming ‘before’ than any other time in our history. Just a shame that it is all not fast enough……isn’t it?

A common thread is woven among us. None of us asked to be here, but we are; no one asked us to be part; but we include ourselves; no one asked us to stay, but we have no choice.

We stay because we need to learn; we learn because we need to help our kids with the best tools available; and we share because we love. It is diabetes and, now, with residence in our world we must decide what to do with it.

For the last week I have been at the Children with Diabetes Friends for Life Conference in Orlando and I have once again (for the millionth time) been reminded how much we mean to each other as a diabetes community. Thousands are here but I know that this is all but one off-shoot of the diabetes community.

Many will go back to be part of their hospital support groups; DRI, JDRF, and/or ADA group of friends; or connecting online–it all does not really matter. We are joined by diabetes. It is a common enemy of which makes allies of us all.

We need each other.

SO many people had so many GREAT things to share this week in Orlando but it is the singular voice of our children that resonates with me; “We need each other”. From all walks of life, from throughout the United States and beyond, we are one voice. We are families with diabetes.

You did not need to be here to know that but if ever you are given the opportunity to experience 3000+ people all on the same page; it is a pretty amazing experience. Each wrist band on the hands in the picture represents a significant part of this conference. But in the end it is up to us to make the decision that “today it starts; a new day to make a difference in my life, our life, and the world around us.”

People leave here empowered to take on the world again.

And it is a world worth taking on. The opportunities are endless; the people are all around us are ready to help; the support is always within grasp either personally or online; this is diabetes–and we—-well we; Are. Friends. For. Life.

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Disclaimer

This is my blog. I am not a medical professional and any medical written word is read somewhere else and will be credited accordingly. There is no substitution for YOUR medical team. I am not paid for what is written on this blog.